My pediatrician told me to give my son mirilax three times a day till he produces a s is that safe?

Responses (2)

Yes. It should be safe to do so. As long as his pediatrician recommended the dose, it should be ok. If your little one has trouble with constipation you might ask the Dr if you can give him some Benefiber every day. Benefiber is a fiber supplement that you add to liquids like juice and it will help keep him regular with soft stools. I like Benefiber because it doesn't alter the taste and it doesn't thicken liquids like Citrucel and Metamucil do. You can add it to some foods too! Make sure also that he gets plenty of fluids throughout the day like juice and water. If he won't drink water, try giving him some watered down juice or even popsicles. I used to like to make my own juice pops when mine were little. You can get plastric molds at most stores for very cheap or you can use Dixie cups and popsicle sticks and freeze the juice that way. Kids love popsicles especially now that it is getting warmer (and more important to keep them hydrated during warmer weather!) Constipation is often caused just by a lack of fluid intake and being dehydrated. Most adults, especially Americans, walk around in a state of dehydration (children too!). We tend not to drink a lot of fluids that we need to function well. If his urine has very much color at all he is dehydrated. The urine should be almost colorless and clear. Adults should consume 64 oz of water or fluids per day. Most of us fall very short of that mark. Black tea (like Lipton, Luzianne for iced tea, etc) and coffee are not countable for fluid replacement. They tend to dehydrate you more than they replace fluid. You did not say how old your son is so ask his pediatrician how much fluid he should be getting every day. Be sure (if he is old enough to eat table food) that he gets plenty of whole grain fiber, fruits and vegetables to keep his stools soft. It is much better to prevent constipation than to treat it after the fact. If his stools tend to be large and hard to pass, sometimes it helps to rub a little petroleum jelly around his anal opening to help lubricate and keep the skin from cracking painfully. Dont be surprised if there is a large hard plug before the softer stools especially if he hasnt gone in several days. Good luck! I hope he is doing better soon!

Candace, dosage is by wt. Mirilax can be taken on a full or empty stomach, it may take 2-4 days before having a bowel movement. Common side effects are nausea, bloating, cramps and gas. If your child has unusal bloating, cramps or diarrhea, call your doc.